Noiseless paperboard guide

ABSTRACT

A paperboard guide on the bridge between the single-facer and double-facer guides and tensions paperboard having a liner side and a fluted side. The fluted side of the paperboard contacts idler rollers while the liner side contacts a curved surface which may be stationary or rotatable. At least one of the rollers may be movable for the purpose of changing the amount of surface contact between the liner side of the paperboard and the curved surface to increase the tension.

United States Patent Ferara 1 5] Mar. 14, 1972 [54] NOISELESS PAPERBOARD GUIDE Refel'fllces Ciml S UNITED STATES PATENT [m lnvfmon Jame? 3,282,764 11/1966 Goettsch ..l56/292 [73] Asslgneez ggrl'gis-lntertype Corporation, Cleveland, Primary Examiner Anen N Knowles Attorney-Seidel, Gonda & Goldharnmer PP'- 1,050 A paperboard guide on the bridge between the single-facer and double-facet guides and tensions paperboard having a 52 US. Cl ..226/189, 226/199 liner side and a fluted Side- The fluted side PaPe'wa'd [51] Int. Cl ..B65h 27/00 contacts idler rollers while the liner side contacts a curved [58] Field of Search ..226/ 196, 198, 199, 200, 189; face hich may be stationary or rotatable. At least one of the rollers may be movable for the purpose of changing the amount of surface contact between the liner side of the paperboard and the curved surface to increase the tension.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIEBMAR 14 m2 3,648,913

PR/OR AR 7' INVENTOR JAMES 7'. FER/IRA ATTORNEY NOISELESS PAPERBOARD GUIDE The present invention is directed to a noiseless paperboard guide. As is conventional in the art, single-faced board is accumulated on a bridge between the single-facer and the doublefacer. The bridge is provided with a guide and tensioning means in the form of a curved surface which contacts the fluted side of the single-faced board. For example, see FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,764.

I have found that one of the major factors contributing to the noise level in corrugators operating in the box plant is the friction between the stationary curved guide surface and the fluted side of the single-faced board. This friction causes vibrations in the paperboard which produce an irritating, fluctuating, high frequency noise. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a paperboard guide at the bridge which eliminates the noise-inducing frictional contact between the fluted side of the single-faced board and a stationary curved surface.

In accordance with the present invention, the single-faced board is guided by laterally adjustable vertically disposed plates and tensioned by idlers which rotate about a fixed or movable axis with the liner side of the board in contact with a curved surface having a radius of curvature greater than the radius of the idler rollers. Movement of at least one of the idler rollers facilitates increasing or decreasing the area of contact between the liner side of the single-faced paperboard and the curved surface which is disposed between the idler rollers.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce the noise caused by contact between the fluted side of paperboard and the means for guiding and tensioning the same.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for guiding and tensioning single-faced paperboard on a bridge between a single-facer and doublefacer in a manner which substantially reduces the noise level.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method whereby noise caused by frictional contact of the guide with the single-faced paperboard is substantially reduced.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for reducing noise at the bridge between a single-facer and double-facer while at the same time guiding and tensioning the paperboard.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a paperboard guide at the bridge in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a paperboard guide at the bridge in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a guide at the bridge between a single-facer and double-facer in accordance with the prior art such as the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,764. As is conventional in the prior art, the crowns of the flutes on the fluted side of the single-faced board contact the curved surface of a pipe or cylinder, which is stationary or rotatable but with a brake associated therewith, and are frictionally dragged along the surface to create tension in the web. The friction causes the fluted to vibrate like a violin string with a high-pitch, high-level, irritating sound. This invention eliminates such high-pitch sounds.

In FIG. 2, there is illustrated apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 10. The apparatus includes abridge channel 12 having a side support 14. The bridge channel 12 supports a conveyor belt 16 which extends around roller 18. Single-faced paperboard from a single-facer accumulates on the bridge in the form ofloops 21.

On demand from the double-facer, the single-faced paperboard 20 is guided and tensioned by idler rollers 22 and 26 mounted on and supported by the side supports 14 and 15. The side supports 14 and 15 may be in the form of a plate with an opposite mating plate cooperating therewith. The idler rollers 22 and 26 freely rotate about their longitudinal axes which are horizontally disposed. Roller 22 is above the axis of curvature of curved surface 24. It will be noted that the fluted side of the single-faced paperboard 20 is in contact with the periphery of the idler rollers 22 and 26.

Between the vertical planes containing the axes of the idler rollers 22 and 26, there is provided a stationary curved surface 24 supported by side supports 14 and 15. Surface 24 has an axis of curvature which is substantially greater than the radius of the idler rollers 22 and 26. The curved surface 24 is positioned between the idler rollers so that it may contact the liner side of the single-faced paperboard 20. The frictional contact between the liner side of the single-faced paperboard 20 and the curved surface 24 creates the tension necessary in connection with feeding the board 20 in the direction of arrow 28to the double-facer.

The-amount of surface contact between the liner side of the single-faced paperboard 20 and the curved surface 24 may be increased or decreased by moving the location of the idler roller 26 with respect thereto. In this regard, the idler roller 26 is mounted on a shaft. The ends of the shaft foridler roller 26 are supported from shaft 32 by arms 30.

The side support 14 and its mating support 15 support the ends of the shaft 32. The arm 30 is provided with an extension beyond shaft 32. The extension has a ball and socket threadedly coupled to a threaded rod 36. The threaded rod 36 is provided with a manually operated hand wheel 38 and extends to a height above the floor which is convenient to the operator.

Rotation of the hand wheel 38 will cause arm 30 to rotate about the axis of shaft 32. This in turn will cause the idler roller 26 to move in an arc about shaft 32, thereby increasing or decreasing the frictional contact between the liner side of the single-faced paperboard 20 and the curved surface 24. As the arm 30 rotates, the rod 36 will be vertical due to the ball and socket. Paperboard 20 is guided at its side edges by a pair of guides 25 (only one shown) which are adjustable toward and away from each other and are supported by the supports 14 and 15.

The rod 36 is preferably of sufficient length so that it may extend downwardly to a location whereby hand wheel 38 is accessible to someone standing at floor level. A suitable indicator may be provided to indicate the position of the idler roller 26 from a reference point, thereby indicating a measure of tension. It will be noted that the fluted side of the single-faced paperboard contacts only freely-rotatable idler rollers.

In FIG. 3, there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 10. The apparatus 10' is identical with that described above and shown in FIG. 2 except as will be made clear hereinafter. Hence, corresponding elements are provided with corresponding primed numerals in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In FIG. 3, the curved surface 24' is defined by a stationary cylinder. Rollers 22 and 26 freely rotate about stationary axes located above the cylinder defining surface 24 and are located so that the paperboard 20' is substantially vertical when moving toward or away from surface 24'. Hence, paperboard 20 has approximately of surface contact with surface 24'. A shaft 50 extends between supports 14 and IS. A canvas curtain 52 has one end connected to shaft 50 and a weight 54 is connected to the other end. Weight 54 tensions the web 20 as it travels from roller 26 to the double-facer machine.

If desired, a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder arrangement may be utilized to adjust the position of the idler roller 26 in place of the hand wheel and threaded rod disclosed above.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributed thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim.

1. A method of reducing the noise of the bridge between a single-facer machine and a double-facer machine comprising guiding and tensioning paperboard having a liner side and a fluted side, performing said guiding and tensioning step at the bridge, and reducing the noise associated with said guiding and tensioning step, said step of reducing noise including contacting the fluted side of the paperboard with spaced idler rollers and contacting the liner side with a curved surface between said idler rollers.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of moving the location of the downstream idler roller to change the amount of surface contact between said curved surface and the liner side of the paperboard.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 including extending single-faced board upwardly from a bridge conveyor around an upstream idler, then extending the single-faced paperboard downwardly along the curved surface and then upwardly around the downstream idler roller with the flutes being on the lower surface of the single-faced paperboard.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of using a curved surface which is stationary.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 including using a curved surface which is a cylinder substantially larger in diameter than said idler rollers, and contacting said cylinder with the liner side of the paperboard with approximately 180 of contact.

6. Apparatus comprising a bridge adapted to be disposed between a single-facet machine and a double-facet machine,

said bridge including a conveyor on which single-faced paperboard may accumulate in the form of loops, said bridge including a paperboard guide for guiding and tensioning singlefaced paperboard to be fed to the double-facer machine, said guide including means for contact with opposite sides of sin gle-faced paperboard and reducing noise due to frictional contact therewith, said means including an upstream freely rotatable idler roller and a downstream freely rotatable idler roller for contact with the fluted side of single-faced paperboard and a curved guide surface between said idler rollers for contact with the liner side of single-faced paperboard.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including means for moving the position of the downstream idler roller relative to the curved surface to change the amount of frictional contact between the liner side and the curved surface.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said curved surface is stationary and has a radius of curvature which is substantially greater than the radius of said idler rollers.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said downstream idler roller is mounted for movement through an arcuate path generally transverse to the direction of travel of the paperboard.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said idler rollers are mounted on stationary axes positioned above said cylinder so that the paperboard travels downwardly from the upstream roller and upwardly to the downstream roller. 

1. A method of reducing the noise of the bridge between a single-facer machine and a double-facer machine comprising guiding and tensioning paperboard having a liner side and a fluted side, performing said guiding and tensioning step at the bridge, and reducing the noise associated with said guiding and tensioning step, said step of reducing noise including contacting the fluted side of the paperboard with spaced idler rollers and contacting the liner side with a curved surface between said idler rollers.
 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of moving the location of the downstream idler roller to change the amount of surface contact between said curved surface and the liner side of the paperboard.
 3. A method in accordance with claim 1 including extending single-faced board upwardly from a bridge conveyor around an upstream idler, then extending the single-faced paperboard downwardly along the curved surface and then upwardly around the downstream idler roller with the flutes being on the lower surface of the single-faced paperboard.
 4. A method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of using a curved surface which is stationary.
 5. A method in accordance with claim 1 including using a curved surface which is a cylinder substantially larger in diameter than said idler rollers, and contacting said cylinder with the liner side of the paperboard with approximately 180* of contact.
 6. Apparatus comprising a bridge adapted to be disposed between a single-facer machine and a double-facer machine, said bridge including a conveyor on which single-faced paperboard may accumulate in the form of loops, said bridge including a paperboard guide for guiding and tensioning single-faced paperboard to be fed to the double-facer machine, said guide including means for contact with opposite sides of single-faced paperboard and reducing noise due to frictional contact therewith, said means including an upstream freely rotatable idler roller and a downstream freely rotatable idler roller for contact with the fluted side of single-faced paperboard and a curved guide surface between said idler rollers for contact with the liner side of single-faced paperboard.
 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including means for moving the position of the downstream idler roller relative to the curved surface to change the amount of frictional contact between the liner side and the curved surface.
 8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said curved surface is stationary and has a radius of curvature whiCh is substantially greater than the radius of said idler rollers.
 9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said downstream idler roller is mounted for movement through an arcuate path generally transverse to the direction of travel of the paperboard.
 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said idler rollers are mounted on stationary axes positioned above said cylinder so that the paperboard travels downwardly from the upstream roller and upwardly to the downstream roller. 